Papu Design is a Finnish children´s wear and lifestyle brand. Papu is built on the cornerstones of brave design, responsibility, transparency and collaboration. With a strong intuition Papu creates a new world step by step and spreads playful and positive lifestyle.

Papu is known for its graphic unisex prints, high quality and long lasting products made of certified organic cotton. The collections are created in collaboration between an artist and the designers. Diverse collections are inspired by contrasts seen in everyday life with spices from cities and forests, unseemly delicious colors, childhood stories and insightful encounters.

Papu has carefully selected production facilities in Finland and Portugal. The first Papu collection was launched in 2012.

Papu Design was founded in 2012. The founder and designer of Papu is Anna Kurkela, and artist Hanna-Riikka Heikkilä is the print designer. In addition to this, around 10 people work for Papu with design, sales and marketing.

Papu was born from a desire to create beautiful, ethically made unisex-clothes for kids. It felt like there was room and need for a brand like Papu in the world, and this feeling seems to be turning out to be correct!

How many people work for your company?

About 10 people work for Papu at the moment, in addition to founder Anna Kurkela.

What have been the highlights for your company?

The launch of the very first collection in 2012 was a great experience! We had a Facebook group, so that our friends could see the new Papu-products. In a moment the page had hundreds of followers and people started asking for the products and who gets to sell them. In the very beginning it was even a bit of a fight who gets to be one of the firsts to sell Papu. We were AMAZED!

Other highlights have been hiring the first employees and the international fairs abroad, where the collections are showcased to a completely different audience. In our everyday life at the office we have great moments, for example when one of us realizes that this is what we dreamed of and here we are now! We have achieved a lot in the past years, even things that seemed so far away at first!

How do you aim to improve the welfare of the environment and human.

We try to find the most sustainable option for every single step and process in the supply chain. If we have the option to choose between two materials, we choose the one that is more ecological and sustainable. We also make the products the best quality possible, so they can be used for longer times. The decisions are considered very carefully and from different angles.

We also want to do something "good" with our products in the future. For how it's going to happen - we have lot's of ideas, but they are still under consideration. We'll see which one will come true!

Has your company had to give up something to be more sustainable and responsible?

Not really. Maybe the cheapest prices, but I think today many things are too cheap. That's a reason why people don't consider the purchasing decision as much, or respect the product, and products are thrown out after just a couple uses.

What are your visions for the future?

Papu collections and the company will become so big, that it will start to have a wider impact on the clothing industry. Everything is done as well as possible, in a sustainable and transparent way. Papu Design will be a leader in the industry and the products will be known for their unique design and they will be the better option.

What inspires you?

Beauty, that is a bit imperfect and rough even. Also people, who have believed in their dreams, and who have made the impossible possible are extremely inspiring!

Products and product creation

Which product best describes you and why?

The Patch leggings. They are in many ways tied to this time, but still timeless. There's something very familiar, but still something new. They are a great choice for kids and grown-ups, boys and girls, and they are made from organic cotton, in good working conditions and the quality is good.

A piece for everyday use, that looks good and can be used in almost any situation!

How do you aim to produce long lasting products? What this requires for example from the product design?

What is the best feedback you have received from your products?

We've recieved so much wonderful feedback! The best is still probably when kids like the clothes and especially when my own kids are proud to wear clothes that their mom has designed.

What product do you find superb that was made by someone other than you?

What materials you prefer in production?

What makes your products environmentally friendly?

The products are mostly made from GOTS certified organic cotton with a bit of elastane. The material was chosen because it is more nature friendly and feels nice and soft. The majority of the products are made in Portugal or Finland, in good working conditions. The products are designed so that the product & design would last over time and that they would be passed on friend one child to another.

Are you aware of where the part of your products (materials etc.) are made and by whom and in what circumstances?

How do you pack your products?

What alternatives you prefer for the product delivery?

5 tips you could give someone interested in a more sustainable way of life.